Loose-leap book



J. BARKER LOOSE LEAF BOOK Filed Jan. 24, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l vwentoz Jmes Ba 6 Feb. 3, 1931.

Patented Feb. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES JAME$ BARKER, OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN LOOSE-LEAF BOOK Application filed January 24, 1927. SerialNo. 163,234.

This invention relates to loose leaf books and refers more particularly to books in which the leaves are normally fastened or locked in position but can be removed temporarily for typewriting or any other desired purposes.

Among the objects of the invention are: to provide a construction in which the leaf can be removed from the front or back of the 1 book depending upon whether the leaf is the closest to the front or the back; to so construct and arrange the means for holding the leaves in the book that when they areremoved from either side they will be held on a guide or like member and can be readily fastened back in place. 7 The invention also resides in the novel construction of locking posts and in the provision of means for facilitating the engagement of the locking bar with the post and in such other features of construction and arrangement and combination of parts as will more fully hereinafter appear.

In the drawings in which I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention;

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a book embodying my invention and having one cover moved to open position;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the book;

I Figures 3 and 4 are transverse vertical sections on the lines 3 and 1 respectively of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the bars carrying the back posts;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the locking posts.

Describing in detail the particular embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings,

1 designates the book back having the front cover section 2 and the rear cover section 3.

Fixedly secured in the front section is a metal housing 4: and a similar metal housing 5 is 5 arranged in the rear cover section 3. Slidably mounted in the housings 4 and 5 are looking bars or bolts 6 and 7 each of which carries projecting pins 8. The bolts 6 and 7 are provided with handles 9 by means of 7 which the bolts and their respective pins 8.

can be' slid longitudinally of the book. When either the bolt 6 or 7 is slid outwardly, the free ends 10 of the locking pins are withdrawn so as to extend only approximately one-half of the length of the slots 11 in their respective housings 1 or 5. Each side of the book is provided witha transfer bar or plate member 12 and 18 and these bars carry one or more impaling posts 14. These posts are adapted to extend through slots 15 in each leaf or sheet of paper 16. It will be noticed from Figure 2 that both the bars 12 and 13 are entirely free of the cover sections 2 and 3, and the locking of the leaves in place is produced by engagement of the pins 8 with sockets 17 in the posts 18, which looks the bars 12 and 13 in place. It will also be noted by reference to Figures 2 and 4 that the impalingposts carried by each transfer bar terminate short of the other transfer bar so that the posts carried by each transfer bar are movable relative to the other bar.

Describing next in detail the construction and operation of the posts 18 and their operation in the locking of the leaves in the book,

it will be noted by reference to Figure 7 that each post is provided at each end with a socket 20. The end of each post is further cut away adjacent each socket to form a groove or recess 19, the wall of which acts as an abutment for the free end of the locking pin 8 so that when the cover is moved to closed position, the locking pin is positioned in alignment with the socket.

Assuming that the book is in the position shown in Figure 1 of the drawing and it is desired to lock the cover section 3 in place, this cover section is moved toward the posts 18, the back 1 being flexed to permit this. movement. This movement of the cover section presents the slots 11 of the housing 5 to the top of the posts 18, at which time the ends 10 of the pins 8 engagein the grooves or recesses 19 of the posts 18. The walls of these recesses constitute abutments for the ends 10 of the pins 8 which limit movement of the housing 5 and which act to position the free ends of the locking pins in alignment with the sockets 20. Thus with the ends of the locking pins in the grooves or recesses,

the bar 7 may be moved longitudinally to engage the free ends of the pins in the sockets 20. Obviously, to disengage the locking pins from the posts, it is only necessary to move the bar 7 longitudinally to the position shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, at which time the ends of the pins will be moved sufficiently to clear the sockets and to lie only in the grooves 19, thus permitting movement of the housing 5 and locking bar away from the posts 18.

This constitutes an important feature of this invention since heretofore in constructions of this general character it has been ment with the sockets by proper actuation of the handle 9.

lVhile I have described the locking pin and bar in connection with the cover section 3 an exactly similar operation is employed for releasing the cover section 2 from the front portion of the book and engaging and disengaging the pin 8 on the, bar or plate with the other end of the locking post 18 The forming of the post 18 as an entirely separate member with locking means at both the front and back of the book is an important advantage. For example, if the book contains 400 pages and it is desired to remove page 40, the bar or plate 6 is moved to its outer position so as to disengage the locking pin 8 from the locking post 18 at the front end of the book, The operator then moves the cover section 2 back to the open position and inserting his hand in the book at page lifts. the transfer bar or plate 12 with its posts 1 free from the remainder of the book. He can then take off the page 40 from the impaling posts 14 and after the entry reinsertthe page on the posts and then reengage the posts with the corresponding openings in the sheets of paper still in the book and then close the cover 2. This will automatically bring the pins 8 into proper registration with the sockets 20 and upon shoving of the handle 9 of the sliding bar or plate 7 the latter can be moved into its locked position.

If, however, it is desired to remove, for example, page 360. it will not be necessary to lift 1 oii' the 860 pages. but the operator can simply turn the book over and engaging the other handle 9, pull out the bar 6 so, as to release the back cover section 3. He would then lift. off the bar 13 withthe last 40 pages of the book still in engagement with the impaling posts 14 and continue the operation the same as described in connection with removmg the pages from the front half of the book. The posts 14 may be either rigid or flexible. If it is desired to make these posts flexible, each post may be formed of a coil spring or a flexible met-a1 bar welded or otherwise fixed to its respective locking bar. If they are flexible and it is desired to let the pages of the book flex forward and backward, the same construction is employed with the exception that in each sheet of paper in place of forming the openings 15which engage the posts of a size corresponding to the posts, such openings would be either open throated or enlarged, However, if desired, the posts 18 might themselves be formed flexible..

While I have shown and described a particular form of locking post, my invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the particular locking post or the specific arrangements and combinations of parts shown and described, and while I have shown-and described a novel construction of lockingpost which has a locking engagement at both ends, this particular feature might be employed in a bookin which the locking post has locking engagement at one end only. Therefore, I do not desire to. limit my invention except as ultimately set forth in the claims.

What I claim as my invention is: 1. In a book construction, the combinatio withcover sections adapted to receive a plurality of leaves, of a post for fastening Said leaves in position in said cover sections, and a transfer'bar slidably mounted on said post, said post having a locking engagement at each end with the respective cover sections and constituting a pivot for each cover section.

2. In a book construction, the combination with cover sections adapted to receive a plurality of leaves, of a post for locking said leaves in position in said cover sections, and

a transfer bar slidably mounted onsaid post,,

said post being pivotally and detachably connected with each cover section to permit the removal of the leaves from either the front or the back of the book.

3. In a book construction, the combination. with, cover section-s adapted to receive a plurality of leaves, of posts for locking said leaves in posltion 1n said cover sect ons, said posts being detachably connected to each cover section to permit the removal of the: leaves from either the front or the back of carriedby said bar, of locking means for said bar including a post having a socket. for receiving a locking pin, a locking pin carried by said cover section and adjustable into and out of said socket and hinging said cover section to said post, said post having a lateral recess leading into said socket, the wall of said recess forming an abutment for engaging the free end of the locking pin when the cover is moved to closed position to position the locking pin in alignment with the said socket.

5. In a book construction, the combination with a cover section and a plurality of leaves, of means for fastening the leaves to the cover section comprising a post having a socket at one end, and a locking pin carried by the cover section and engageable with the said socket and hinging said cover section to said post, said post being provided with a lateral recess adjacent said socket, the wall of said recess forming an abutment engageable with the end of the pin when the cover is moved to closed position for positioning the locking pin in alignment with said socket.

6. In a book construction, the combination with cover sections and a plurality of leaves, of a bar at each side of the book, means detachably connected to each of said cover sections for locking said bars on opposite sides of said leaves and permitting removal of the leaves from either the front or back of the book, and impaling posts carried by the said bars, each impaling post being fixed to one bar and being movable relative to the bar at the opposite side of the book, said impaling posts constituting guides for the leaves in eliiigaging and disengaging them from the boo 7 In a book construction, the combination with a cover section and a plurality of leaves associated with the same, of means for fastening the leaves to the cover section, said means including a locking post having a socket at one end, and a locking pin carried by the cover section and engageable with said socket, said locking post being provided with a groove adjacent the said socket for guiding the said pin into engagement with said socket.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JAMES BARKER. 

